Beds have been placed in a corridor close the entrance of the staff car park, The Malta Independent noted when visiting Mater Dei Hospital recently.

This newsroom carried out its own investigation and noticed that the Major Incident Unit (MIU), which is a relatively new area in the hospital, is located in the basement in the administration building.

The Unit is continuously guarded by a security guard and a folding screen is used to shield the corridor and beds, at the entrance to this area near the door.

Sources have also told this newsroom that there are other areas in the hospital where beds are being placed in corridors because of the lack of space.

When asked about this Unit, the CEO of Mater Dei Hospital, Ivan Falzon said that it is fully certified and equipped to handle patient admissions according to established criteria for the area.

Falzon also noted that the area is monitored and serviced by all standard hospital support services, including security details, as found in all wards. Patient safety and standards of care are audited and maintained.

Mater Dei, as originally built, had several areas of premium unused space, Falzon explained. Over the years successive hospital administrators have made good use of these "extra" spaces to enable an increase in services in a safe and effective manner.